Vehicle-tire.



PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

W. E, ANDREW. VEHICLE TIRE. PPLIOATION r1 ED No. 862,785. PATENTED AUG.6, 1907.

W. E. ANDREW.

VEHICLE TIRE. PPPPPPPPPPPPPPP 1) DBO. so, 1905.

PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907. W. E. ANDREW. VEHICLE TIRE. APPLICATION FILED DBO30, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 862,785. PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

W. E. ANDREW.

' VEHICLE TIRE. APPLIOATION FILED DB0. so, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

WILLIAME. ANDREW, OF ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NEW JERSEY.

VEHICLE-TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6,1907.

Application filed December 30,1905. Serial No. 294,009.

vention, such as will enable others skilled in" the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to cushion tires, and its object is toincreasethe resiliency and prolong the life of such structures and toequalize the internal strain thereof.

To these ends the invention may be regarded as residing essentially in acertain type of resilient, non

pneumatic tire body, with which may be associated one or morelongitudinal cushioning chambers and one or more internal strengthening,reiniorcingor clamping members.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an automobile orother wheel provided with a tire constructed after my invention, part ofthe tire being broken away to exhibit the internal structure thereof;

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the tire and felly shown in Fig; 1; Fig. 3is a longitudinal section taken through a length of the same; Fig. 4 isa perspective sectional view of the same parts; Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of a portion of the tire and ielly, showing certain of theparts broken away; Fig. 6 is a cross section of another iorm of tireconstructed after my invention; Fig. 7 is still another form; Fig. 11 isa perspective sectional View oi'yet another form; and Fig. 12 is ahorizontal section on the line 12-12, Fig. 11.

As already stated, the object of the invention is to provide a tire ofthe proper resilient and yielding properties which will yet have greatlasting qualities.

To this end, the several forms of my invention, about to be described,are distinguished by a peculiar nonpneumatic tire body of resilientmaterial having formed in the material thereof a plurality oflongitudinal symmetrically arranged and staggered cushioning chambers ofrelatively large cross-section, these chambers being suflicicntly spacedto leave stout supporting regions of the resilient material betweenthem. In this way, a high degree of resiliency is secured, the tire doesnot wear unevenly, and does not flatten out unduly under the weight ofthe vehicle. Preferably,- these chambers have flat bases andsymmetrically arched laps and the width is greater than the depth.

Referring in the drawings, and for the present to Figs. l--5 thereof, Aindicates the telly oi the wheel cousins-ted oi vwood or other materialas desired.

- B is a metallic tire encircling the telly and secured thereto in anysuitable manner. V

' is a resilient shoe or tread formed of rubber reinforced with canvas,or prepared in any suitable manher, and comprising a hollow shell havingat its bottom spaced'inner walls a and outwardly projecting flanges. 4

b. These'flanges afford means whereby the tread is secured to themetallic the B; and, for this purpose, annular clamp or clencher plates0 encircle the tops of flanges b and are'engaged by nut heads 11 on theone side of the tire and washers e at the other side thereof. 1 Thesenut heads and washers are provided at top and bottom with inwardlyextending flanges f which clasp the .tops of the plates c and the bottomof the metallic tire B. The shank g of the bolt extends transverselythrough the base of the shoe D; and bolt and nut, as will be readilyunderstood, afford means for both compressing the bottom of the shoetogether and for securing the shoe to the metallic tire.

Filling the upper and major portion of the large chamber formed in theinterior of the shoe-D is my resilient tire body 0, which is to beconstructed of rubber. Extending longitudinally near the outer surfaceof the body is an arched chamber h; and beneath and on vided anotherarched chamber or channel k open at the bottom and directly beneathchamber h. By this staggered arrangement of cushioning chambers, theinternal strain is equally distributed through the tire body, and lifeand resiliency are imparted to the tire without the necessity ofresorting to the employment of inner inflatable tubes and the like.

The tire body O rests at its base upon the top of an inner reinforcing,clamping and spreading member E, this latter to be made of wood, metalor other material.

as desiredi The lower portion 1 of this member is pro-- vided withstraight side walls on which bear against and form a firm supportlaterally for walls a of shoe D when the latter are forced toward eachother by bolts g. The upper portion a flares outwardly at the sides, asat o, in order to afford means for clamping down upon and spreadingapart the side walls of the shoe D.

side with depending flanges or wings pwhich are interposed between theflaring sides 0 of the. reinforcing member E andthe side walls of theshoe D. In this struction affording a firm bearing surface for thebaseof the body' G, and at the same time leaving bottom cham= berk open toperform its cushioning function to the utmost possible extent.

In assembling the tire ofthe form just described, the tire body 0 isfirst fitted to the interior of the shoe D. The body is then removedthroughthe split based the shoe, and its ends vulcanized or cementedtogether, after which it is replaced in the shoe. The reinforcing memberE is next fitted in one or more sections to the circumference of themetallic tire B, andthe adjoining ends-of the member are securedtogether as shown in Fig. 5 by means of tie plates 7, which are angledin cross section so as to fit the sides ofthe reinforce memher and aresecured to the member by screws 8, or in other suitable manner.

A function of great value performed by reinforce member E is to guardagainst breaking or bursting of the tire above the clencher plates 0. Intires, particularly of the pneumatic type, which secure the tread to thewheel felly by means of clencher plates, or similar devices, applied atthe bottoms of the sides, there is always undue wear at the regionimmediately above such clencher members,- owing to the spreading of thetire downward upon their unyielding surfaces under the weight of theload. This danger I find is quite obviated byinserting the reinforcemember within the hollow shoe and at the base of the tire body. Thisreinforce member, rigidly secured to the wheel structure I by means ofscrews or other fastening devices t passing up through the wheel felly,metallic tire B, and into the reinforcing member, also serves admirablyto prevent side slipping of the tire. It is to be noted that the flaringtop portion of the reinforce inember E extends well above and overhangsthe clencher plates 0, so that the force of compression due to shocks isremoved from these plates and applied to the bearing surface at the topof the reinforce member.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated a slightly modified form of the tireconstruction described in connection with Figs.

1-5. In this form of tire construction, the reinforce member E isprovided centrally of its upper surface with a truncated arched-rib orprojection it, which fits the lower portion of arched chamber is. Thisconstruction assists in preventing sidewise movement of the tire-body Cas will be readily understood. In this form of my invention, too, theinner side walls a of the shoe D are inclined inward and downward, andthe sides m of the lower portion of the reinforce member arecorrespondingly inclined,whereby, when the reinforce member is drawndown into position on metallic tire. B, a wedging action is exerted uponthe base of shoe D to properly spread the latter.

Fig. 7 illustrates a form of my inventionresembling closely theconstructions illustrated in the preceding views, but differing incertain important respects. The

per portion n of this reinforce-member is semi-circular or substantiallysemi-circular in cross section and 0C7:

cupies a chamber or channel is formed in the base of tire-body C. Thistire-bodv is somewhat deeper than the tire-body C occupying most of theinterior of the shoe D and is provided like tire-body C with threelongitudinal chambers 72/, i. The upper chamber h is provided at the topof its arch with a reentrant depression y, constituting a strengtheningirb lying beneath the tread portion of the tire. Reinforce member E issecured in place by screws or similar fastening devices, t, passing, asbefore, through the felly A, me tallic tire B, and into thereinforce-member. In the construction of this form of my invention, thereinforce,- member possesses, besides the functions ascribed to it,

in connection with theviews already described, the

important duty of clamping upon the tops of flanges o to secure thelatter positively to the wheel.

I In Fig. 8, the shoe 1) is constructed substantially in the manner ofshoe D except that the side walls of incuts 10 converge slightlydownward to conform to the shape of the lower portion Z ofreinforce-member E, I which tapers downward so as to have something of awedging action in spreading the shoe. The upper portion n ofreinforce-member E flares outward, in order to bear against the sidewalls of the shoe and to spread. depending flanges p on the base oftire-body C against these side walls ofthe shoe. The upper surface ofportion 72, of the reinforce member is formed with alongitudinal curvedchannel 2, while the base of the tire body is substantially flat, sothat the lowermost longitudinal chamber in the tire is, in thisinstance,

formed in the reinforce-member instead of in the tirebody. Fig. 8 alsodiscloses a different arrangement of the inclosed chambers withinthetire-body. Formed in the upper portion of this body is a transversepair of chambers k beneath and intermediate of these is a single chamber1 while below this last chamber and in vertical alinement with chambersk is another pair of chambers 7: 1

By referring to Fig. 9, it will be seen how my invention may be modifiedfor application to a different type of wheel-construction. In .thisview, A is the felly, B is a metallic tire encircling the circumferenceof the felly, and F are combined seat and clamp plates for 'the shoe DPlates F comprise vertical portions a disposed on either side of thefolly and outward-flaring regions-b curved inward at their outer edges,as at 0 and having formed at their bases inward-projecting,substantially horizontal wings d". These wings correspond in function tothe clencher plates 0 of the preceding views, constituting retaining orsecuring plates for holding the base of the shoe against the solid basalportions of the tire. Resting upon metallic tire B is the base ofwedge-shaped reinforce-member E whose top is furnished with alongitudinal curved channel z, and from whose flaring sides wings eextend obliquely downward for a purpose presently to be described. Inthis construction, tire-body C is flat, across the base, has dependingflanges p clamped between the wedge-shaped reinforce-member and the sidewalls of shoe D and is further provided with three inclosed,longitudinal arched chambers. Two of these k are formed obliquely belowthe upper sur-'- face of the tire-body, and the third i is located belowand between the other two. The lower edges-a of the shoe are enlarged soas to.be clamped by the inwardcurved portions 0 of seat'and clampingplates I*, while at the bottom they rest upon the inward-projectingwings d". Edges a are also channeled out on their inner surfaces toreceive wings e extending downward from reinforce-member E The base ofthe shoe is thus securely clamped by the plates F and the reinforcemember E while the latter also serves to spread the shoe and tire bodyto therequisite extent. In assembling this form of tire upon its wheel,the reinforce member is secured by means of fastening devices t passingradially through the telly and metallic tire; and the plates F arerigidly attached to the ielly'by bolts f, which pass'through thevertical portions a of these plates and through the telly;

In Fig. 10 is illustrated a construction following the. general form ofthe constructions already discussed, but omitting the reinforce member.In this instance, the lower edges a of shoe D are solid and extendedinward to meet, so as to form a continuous bottom wall, upon which reststire body G The latter occupies the entire interior of the shoe and issubstantially circular in cross section, with the exception of theflattened base 9", which rests upon portions a of the shoe. The tirebody is provided with four inclosed annular cushioning chambers, anupper central chamber h, two intermediate chambers i and large centralbase chamber It. Here, again, it will be observed that the staggeredarrangement" of cushioning chambers-is fol lowed. i

In theforms of my invention thus tar discussed, the resilient chamberedthe body has constituted the inner member of a compound; resilient tirestructure. In

Figs. 11 and 12 is shown a construction in which the tire body 0 servesitself as the tread portion of the tire.

Here the ielly'A and metallic tire B are illustrated as being of thesame form as in Figs. 1-5. The tire body in this instance is shown ashaving six longitudinal arched chambers, a pair of obliquely disposedchambers h near the outer surface of the tire body, a single centrallydisposed chamber 1? below these, a second pair 1' located still lowerand with their bases substantially horizontal, and the sixth k locatedcentrally near the base of the body. This distribution of chambers willbe found of great value in distributing the strain in the interior ofthe tire and in increasing the springiness of the whole construction. Onits outer sides near the base, the tire body is provided withlongitudinal channels In, which receive the upper enlarged edges oi theclamping plates G, these latter being secured to the telly by means ofbolts Z penetrating transversely through the telly and by othertransverse bolts'm passingthrough the base of the tire body.

I have shown this form of tire as being furnished with additionalinternal strengthening means in the shape of an'annular band H, the endsof which, at the time when the tire is assembled, are drawn forciblytogether and riveted, or otherwise secured, as illustrated in Fig. 12,in order to make it bear with some force against the bottom of chamber kwhere it is preferably located. However, as indicated in dotted lines inFig. 11, clamping bands maybe positioned in other of the chambers insimilar manner. It will be understood that the ends of the band aresecured together before the ends of the tire body are united.

The bottom and sides of tire body (J are preferably protected by layersof canvas 0.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a cushion tire a non-pneumatic, resilient body having a pluralityof symmetrically arranged 1ongitudi-.

nal cushioning chambers provided with flat bases and symmetricallyarched tops.

2. In a cushion tire, a non-pneumatic body of resilient material havinga plurality of longitudinal symmetrically arranged and staggeredcushioning chambers of relatively large cross-section and of greaterwidth than depth, said chambers being sufficiently spaced to leavestoutsupporting regions of the resilient material between them.

3. In a cushion-tire, the combination of an annular base member, a shoesplit longitudinally of its base and having outward-projecting basalflanges, securing plates overlying said flanges and retaining the shoeagainst the base member, a non-pneumatic chambered body of resilientmaterial filling the outer and major portion of the shoe, an internalannular reinforce member of unyielding material extending above saidsecuring plates and bearing downward upon the base of the shoe, andmeans for forcing said reinforce member downward.

4. In a cushion-tire, the combination of an annular base member, a shoesplit longitudinally of its base'and having outward-projecting basalflanges, securing plates overlying said flanges and retaining the shoeagainst the base member, a non-pneumatic chambered body of resilientmaterial filling the outer and major portion of the shoe, an internalannular reinforce member of unyielding material extending above saidsecuring plates and bearing downward upon the base of the shoe, andmeans for securing said reinforce member to the annular base member.whereby said reinforce member serves to spread the shoe and to preventsidewise slipping of the tire.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM Fl. ANDREW.

Witnesses W. Nnsmr Suonxun,

WM. M. Itonnn'rs.

